Chapter 223: Moving On

“What did you see with your own eyes?” Raylee asked with a frown.

“Nothing!” Casimir abruptly changed the topic, his expression suddenly turning serious. “Why was the necklace I gave you as a birthday gift found with Waverly? I had explicitly instructed my assistant to deliver it to you personally, yet somehow it ended up in Waverly’s hands. Don’t tell me you had absolutely nothing to do with that.”

“Would you believe me if I said it had nothing to do with me at all, Mr. Sutherland?” Raylee quietly watched him, her eyes filled with anticipation. She hoped to find a sense of trust belonging solely to her in his face. However, she was still disappointed.

The man who had repeatedly professed his love for her said, in a serious tone, “What do you think? Do you really believe I wouldn’t see through such an obvious setup? Only you could harbor such intense malice toward Waverly!”

“Heh! If you already know, then why bother pretending to ask me?” Raylee scoffed. “In your eyes, I’m always the villain, while Waverly remains forever innocent. Hence, you always seem to come asking questions with the answers already in mind.”

“I still don’t know the answer. Why didn’t you accept my necklace?” Casimir’s face was clouded with deep disappointment. “You knew I spent a fortune on it during an auction when I was on a business trip abroad. Your birthday is coming up soon, and I wanted to give you a gift that’s unique. The ruby on that necklace was crafted by a renowned jeweler—”

As Casimir was explaining the precious nature of the necklace with great relish, Raylee abruptly and coldly cut him off.

“Mr. Sutherland, I despise necklaces. Four years ago, I was wrongly accused of stealing one, which led to my unfortunate imprisonment. From that point on, I never wore a necklace again.”

The air fell into a moment of silence. Casimir hadn’t anticipated that the precious necklace he had painstakingly acquired would touch upon Raylee’s taboo, causing her to feel repulsion. He let out a sigh, unable to resist comforting her. “Ray—Ray, it’s all in the past. There’s no need to keep dwelling on that matter. Letting it go is also a way of forgiving yourself. That necklace didn’t wrong you, so it shouldn’t become a chain hindering your pursuit of happiness.”

“What gives you the right to get me to move on?” Raylee cast him a frosty glance. “That incident inflicted a lasting wound on me, causing me to lose everything. You folks downplay it, ask me to move on, and even guilt-trip me into forgiving those who have hurt me. Let me ask you something, then. What makes you think you have the right to demand this of me?”

“Therefore, you manipulated the situation, bribed my assistant, and gave the necklace to Waverly to fulfill your revenge, right?” Casimir’s emotions started to flare up. “You criticized me for defending Waverly, but if you hadn’t been the one to stir up trouble first, would I have needed to protect her? This applies to Samuel as well. If anything were to happen to Waverly, we would definitely do everything in our power to protect her! That’s because she lost the eighteen years of life that were rightfully hers. Everyone in the Goodridge family, including you, owes her for this!”

“So, are you here to hold me accountable now, Mr. Sutherland? Heh!” Raylee couldn’t help but laugh bitterly, a wave of sorrow welling up in her heart. “I’m clearly the one who has lost everything. I’ve lost health, love, and hope… In this world, everything that’s associated with beauty and goodness no longer has anything to do with me. However, for some reason, they still think I owe Waverly something. Why’s that?”

Raylee’s heart clenched violently as if an invisible hand was gripping it tightly, making it hard for her to breathe. She didn’t know if she was upset by Casimir, or if she was going to have another episode. Regardless, she clutched her heart, turning around to leave.

“Raylee, I’m not finished…” Casimir chased after her.

“If you’re here to hold me accountable, I admit I am responsible for everything. If you seek revenge for Waverly, do as you please,” Raylee said.

Casimir looked up, meeting Raylee’s icy gaze. He then frowned and said helplessly, “I’m not blaming you. I just hope there won’t be a next time.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t manage that. It’s quite late, and I’d like to go home and rest. I suggest you head home too, Mr. Sutherland.”

“Let me send you home!”

“No need!”

Raylee firmly rejected him, not wanting to spend another moment in his company. She quickly walked to the roadside and hailed a taxi. A sense of desolation washed over Casimir as he watched her hastily retreating figure. At that moment, his face turned noticeably somber. He stood there, seemingly numb all over, staring blankly as the taxi gradually drove away until it disappeared from his sight.

Raylee didn’t return to the hospital. Instead, she sent Percival a message to assure him she was safe before returning to Goodridge Manor.